As people become increasingly aware of the environmental and social impact of their fashion choices, the demand for sustainable alternatives has surged. In turn, more and more responsible fashion brands are popping up to meet the growing demand for sustainable fashion and change the industry.
German fashion labels are rising to the occasion, blending cutting-edge design with a deep commitment to ethical practices and eco-friendly materials. Therefore, in this week’s “Sustainable Fashion Around the World,” we’ll look at sustainable fashion brands from Germany.
*Some of these brands have websites that are in German. To make things clear, I used a translation tool. There might be a slight chance of mistakes in the translation, but I did my best to provide accurate information.
*Disclosure: This article includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through the provided links.
Honest Basics
Honest Basics was founded by a small group of fashion and marketing professionals who previously worked in the fast fashion industry. As they mentioned on their website, “There is only so much fast fashion you can make before it starts eating away at your soul.”
With a mission dedicated to making sustainable fashion accessible for all, the brand achieves this goal by maintaining affordable price points. On their website, Honest Basics provides a detailed overview of how and why they are able to keep the prices low. For example, the brand states that it uses factories in India and Bangladesh and keeps the supply chain simple to lower costs. The website further presents detailed breakdowns for most products, including a comprehensive overview of all production costs, like material and labor.
The brand exclusively uses organic cotton, and all of its products are GOTS-certified to ensure that they are up to the highest standards and do not cause harm to the environment.
Operating within India and Bangladesh, the brand selects factories based on several sustainability criteria. Their production facilities undergo regular assessments by third-party organizations to ensure safe, healthy working conditions and the absence of child labor.
Despite Honest Basics’ advanced sustainable and ethical practices, the brand remains aware of the continuous journey toward improvement, and they openly acknowledge where improvements should be made.
Last, Honest Basics highlights the diversity of their team by stating that they have different races and nationalities and LGBTQ+ representation in their team. However, the brand recognizes where it could do better, including hiring more women and showing more diverse body shapes.
Price Range: €11,90 (Spaghetti Strap Top) – €39,90 (Hoodie)
Interested in Honest Basics? Please visit their website or look at their Instagram (@honest_basics).
ThokkThokk
Founded in 2007 by Vinzenz Johow, ThokkThokk is an affordable, sustainable fashion brand with minimalistic designs. With a mission “to provide an alternative to fast fashion and offer sustainable clothing with attitude, style, and a fair pricing policy accessible to all,” the brand’s dedication is evident in its material choices.
ThokkThokk prioritizes sustainable materials, utilizing GOTS-certified organic cotton, Fairtrade Cotton, and Tencel™. Moreover, Thokkthokk uses Kapok, a soft, light fiber from the Kapok tree, for their jackets. This fiber is amazing for isolation, is hypoallergenic, and is water-resistant due to its wax layer. Additionally, ThokkThokk Proudly holds a Peta-approved Vegan status for its commitment to cruelty-free practices by not using animal products.
The brand’s transparency extends to its production facilities. For instance, in sock production, ThokkThokk collaborates with a Fairtrade and GOTS-certified supplier in Kanpur. Other production facilities used by the brand are located in different parts of India, Turkey, Portugal, and Germany. Each facility is carefully chosen for its commitment to sustainability and holds distinct certifications.
Last, ThokkThokk collaborates with the Indian NGO Save to combat child labor within the textile industry and support women’s and workers’ rights.
Price Range: €14,90 (Socks) – €219,90 (Jacket)
Interested in ThokkThokk? Please visit their website or take a look at their Instagram (@thokkthokk).
Pinqponq
Founded in 2014, Pinqponq is a sustainable backpack and fashion brand from Cologne. The brand’s motto is “balance the unbalanced.” Their philosophy is that sustainability is about finding balance in consumer behavior and lifestyle – the conscious assumption of responsibility.
Pinqponq outlines its own commitment to responsibility extensively on its website. Its fabrics are certified by Bluesign® and GOTS, and the brand uses a high amount of sustainable materials. Pinqponq uses a solution-dyed method for dyeing, in which the fabrics are dyed in the initial production stage. This method provides better pigment to the fabric, uses less water, and fewer chemicals are released.
Furthermore, Pinqponq is an active member of the Fair Wear Foundation, an organization dedicated to enhancing working conditions in the textile industry. The foundation audits the brand and its facilities annually to ensure it is up to standard. In addition, a complaint hotline is placed in each facility in producing countries to give workers the opportunity to place a complaint or highlight an issue anonymously.
Price Range: €39,90 (T-shirt) – €399,90 (Jacket)
Interested in Pinqponq? Please visit their website or look at their Instagram (@pinqponq).
Rotholz
Founded in 2009, Rotholz is a multidisciplinary fashion label with an artistic aesthetic and high-quality standards. As they say, “We show how fashion can be made in harmony with nature, people, and ethics.”
This commitment shines through in their practices. The brand uses a large variety of sustainable materials, including organic cotton, linen, Tencel™, and hemp.
Rotholz only works with manufacturers committed to high ethical standards, and the brand does regular certified controls at their suppliers to ensure fair working conditions. The last step of the production is done within European studios, manufactories, and workshops at low risk for labor abuse. In doing so, Rotholz supports small businesses and ensures safe working conditions for those involved.
Overall, Rotholz is dedicated to sustainable practices through its material use and ensures safe and healthy working conditions throughout its supply chain by doing certified audits.
Price Range: €19 (Socks) – €269 (Jacket)
Interested in Rotholz? Please visit their website or look at their Instagram (@rotholz).
Lanius
Founded in 1999 by Claudia Lanius, Lanius stands as a testament to sustainable fashion, with the mother-daughter duo of Claudia Lanius and Annabelle Homann dedicated to transforming the industry and crafting aesthetically pleasing pieces with a positive impact.
Lanius distinguishes itself by using various sustainable materials, including hemp, ECONYL®, recycled polyester, Tencel™, and SeaCell™—an innovative, eco-friendly fiber derived from algae. The brand’s commitment to high standards is reinforced by certifications such as GOTS, Global Recycled Standard (GRS), and Organic 100 Content Standard. In addition, although the brand is not completely vegan, several products are Peta-approved vegan.
Beyond materials, Lanius places a strong emphasis on ethical production practices. A detailed list of production facilities is demonstrated on their website. Each facility holds diverse certifications, ensuring adherence to high standards and safe, healthy working conditions.
Through a partnership with ClimatePartner, the brand takes proactive measures to offset the CO2 emissions generated throughout its operations. In addition, the brands take several additional steps to lower their CO2 emissions by, for example, using renewable energy and minimizing the supply chain length. Lanius’ complete collection is climate-neutral.
On their website, Lanius provides information and tips on ethical and sustainable fashion, and the brand even has the opportunity to rent their clothes in their stores in Berlin, Cologne, and Freiburg.
Price Range: €10,90 (Socks) – €449,90 (Coat)
Interested in Lanius? Please visit their website or look at their Instagram (@lanius_fairfashion).
JAN ‘N JUNE
In 2013, the vision for the eco-fashion label JAN ‘N JUNE was created by founders Anna and Jula, who sought to address the absence of stylish, sustainable, and affordable fashion brands. Formalizing their commitment, the brand was officially established in 2014 with the belief that fashion and sustainability go hand in hand.
JAN ‘N JUNE‘s dedication to sustainability is evident in their material choices. Embracing a diverse range of eco-friendly materials, including recycled polyester, organic cotton, recycled cashmere, and organic linen, the brand consistently seeks certified fabrics to ensure the highest standard. In a significant stride towards sustainability, JAN ‘N JUNE achieved official GOTS certification in 2021.
On their website, JAN ‘N JUNE provides a manufacturer’s map to show where all their production takes place. Notably, the majority of these facilities are situated within Europe, a strategic decision aimed at minimizing transportation and, consequently, reducing emissions.
A distinctive feature of JAN ‘N JUNE‘s commitment to transparency is the inclusion of an ECO-ID for all its products. As a comprehensive passport for each item, the ECO-ID unveils every step in the product’s supply chain.
On a more personal note, the ‘meet the team’ section offers a unique touch, delving into the zodiac signs and pizza preferences of the team members. A charming addition is Cleo, the office dog whose zodiac sign is Aries.
Price Range: €33,55 (T-shirt) – €342 (Coat)
Interested in JAN ‘N JUNE? Please visit their website or look at their Instagram (@jannjune).
ARMEDANGELS
Founded in 2007 by Martin Hofeler and Anton Jurina, ARMEDANGELS has embarked on a mission to leverage business as a means to protect life, emphasizing the need for systemic change, as declared on their website: “If the system is to change, WE must change the system.“
Central to their commitment is the dual goal of reducing their footprint while increasing their handprint by increasing the availability of sustainable products and actively combating climate change.
ARMEDANGELS achieves this through the predominant use of eco-friendly materials, such as GOTS-certified cotton, organic linen, organic wool, recycled cotton, LENZING™ ECOVERO™, and TENCEL™. ARMEDANGELS also offers jeans made from what they call “detox denim.” This denim is made with no harmful chemicals and has a reduced carbon footprint.
As a member of the Fair Wear Foundation, ARMEDANGELS ensures fair, safe, and healthy working conditions throughout its supply chain. In addition, the brand aims to be as transparent as possible and visit its suppliers regularly.
ARMEDANGELS has partnered with TextileGenesis™, a pioneering traceability platform, to trace the origin of their products using innovative technologies.
Interestingly, in 2022, ARMEDANGELS made the choice to change the tone of their communication. Previously, they called their products 100% eco, but as they accurately state, there are no sustainable products because everything leaves an ecological footprint.
Price Range: €12,90 (Underwear) – €399,90 (Coat)
Interested in ARMEDANGELS? Please visit their website or look at their Instagram (@armedangels).
Sources
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